'TipsforJesus' leaves thousands in tips

Dec. 5, 2013
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@tipsforjesus

by Jolie Lee, USA TODAY Network

by Jolie Lee, USA TODAY Network

From San Francisco to Chicago, TipsforJesus is leaving large tips of up to $10,000 at restaurants. According to its Instagram page, the unnamed Good Samaritan(s) is "doing the Lord's work, one tip at time."

(By the way, the USA TODAY Network would like TipsForJesus to come forward. Tweet us! )

The Daily Dot estimates TipsforJesus has left $54,000 in tips since September.

It is unknown whether it's one person or many. The tips have been charged to credit cards and the receipts have been signed @TipsForJesus. The restaurants have not divulged the account holder(s) name.

Food site Eater.com speculates TipsforJesus is a group of individuals: "The Instagram account uses the word "we" often, and before they recently switched to a TipsForJesus stamp for the receipts, the [Instagram] username was scrawled in more than one handwriting."

Another speculation is that the tipper is a college football fan. TipsforJesus left a $5,000 tip at Legends of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., on Oct. 19, the same day the Fighting Irish played the University of Southern California Trojans. Scrawled on the receipt was the USC motto "Fight on!" TipsforJesus has also shown up in other cities on the days of college games, according to NPR.

And perhaps TipsforJesus also enjoys tequila. In one bill, a $10,000 tip was added to a nearly $3,000 total for what appears to be mostly alcoholic drinks.

Whoever TipsforJesus is, people are finding inspiration in the acts of generosity. One commenter on a TipsforJesus' Instagram photo wrote, "Hi! My Dad works at Legends and he witnessed what you did. That was an awesome thing! It gives me some kind of hope in humanity for people."